The prior art is replete with wire stretching tools which aid in the repair or fabrication of wire fencing.
Examples of these prior art constructions may be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 981,976; 1,574,671; 2,977,093; and, 4,264,055. While these prior art devices provide adequate assistance for wire fence workers they all suffer from shared as well as individual deficiencies.
Basically, the majority of prior art structures were developed to stretch wire fencing for purposes of tightening the wire prior to affixint it to a fence post. These structures each require the employment of an existing fence post to accomplish their individual functions. Therefore, none of the above mentioned structures could be utilized to stretch wires away from an existing fence in order to provide a clear working area to install or repair an individual fence post.
While the majority of prior art stretching devices can only be utilized in conjunction with an existing fence post, other prior art devices require two or more persons in order to stretch the wire away from the working area, in which a fence post is to be installed or repaired.
The aforementioned prior art devices are suitable for stretching wire away from a working area without depending upon an existing post. However, these devices require at least one person to secure these wires while another person or persons installs or repairs the fence post.
Obviously there has existed a longfelt need to develop a device which could function on its own to stretch fence wires without the need of an existing fence post, and without the assistance of an additional workman.
This device would also have to maintain these fence wires away from a working area without requiring continuous human assistance. This device would therefore allow fence work to be accomplished by a single individual.